Gin-saw sharpener.



J. RICE.

GIN SAW SHARPENER.-

APPLICATION FILED MAYH. 1911.

Patented Dec. 4

3 SHEETS-SHEET LL J. RICE.

GIN SAW SHARPENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l7| I917.

Patented Dec, 4, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- gvivenfom Gu m 1. RICE.

GIN SAW SHARPENER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1911'.

LMWF 1%; Patnted Dec. 4, 1917.

I 3 SHEETS SHEET 3- JOHN RICE, 0F FORT EAYLNE, ALABAMA.

GIN-SAW SHAREENEB.

anaemia.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Dec. a, 1917.

Application filed May 17, 1917.7 Serial No. 169,172.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JoI-IN RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Payne, in the county of Dekalb and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gin-Saw Sharpeners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism for sharpening saws, such as are used in cotton gins, lumber yards and the like, and more particularly to gin saw Sharpeners; the present invention being an improvement upon the gin saw sharpening machine for which I have heretofore obtained Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,076,996, dated October 28, 1913.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved machine of the character shown in said patent, with more convenient and eflicient means for holding, guiding, adjusting and operating the files or devices for grinding the saw teeth to any desired pitch or angle, and which will accomplish the desired results more expeditiously and with greater accuracy in sharpening the saws; the machine as a whole being adapted to be easily assembled or taken apart so that worn or broken parts may be readily removed and repaired; and further to improve generally the construction and efficiency of the machine.

Other objects are to provide a strong, durable and inexpensive device of the character referred to, which may be conveniently transported and readily set up in operative position in any desired place, and a simple and cflicient feeding mechanism combined with the file actuating mechanism.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described. with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

in said drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gin saw shafiningnmachine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the file suppo ting and actuating mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional elevation of more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 oFflieflrawa a portion. of the file supporting and actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 2, parts thereof'being broken away;

Fig. 4L is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4 i of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows Fig. 6 is a detail view of the escapement device forming a part of the feeding mechanism, and Fig. 7 is a front or edge view ofthe same, partly in section;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the file rod supporting and adjusting bracket illustrating its mode of attachment to one of the frame bars and the file actuating device.

Referring to said drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to, denote corresponding parts in different views, the letter A, denotes the frame on which the file supporting and actuating mechanisms,

denoted by the letter B. are mounted, with provision for moving the same laterally or crosswise of the machine; said frame having a shaft C journaled therein, on which the saws are carried in position to be sharpened. suitable means, but preferably I employ interengaging gears; at one end of the machine frame, including an escapeinent device, which will be hereinafter described. Reciprocatory movement may be imparted to the file carriers by means of a long roll d on the shaft D, over which a belt D passes to and around a pulley E on a shaft carrying cranks or crank-wheels which are connected by pitman rods with the file carrying rods. At one end of the shaft D there is a fixed and a loose pulley and a belt 0 passes therefrom over a pulley fixed on a driving shaft for imparting motion to the shaft D or stopping its rotation by shifting the belt from the fixed to the loose pulley, or vice versa, in any well known manner. The general arrangement and operation of the parts referred to is substantially as shown and described in my aforesaid patent, and. I will now proceed to describe the esseniai i vel features of mv present invention.

Referring t jhe file supporting, guiding and actuating ineehanism. shown Said shaft may be driven by any ings, two of such mechanisms being shown in Fig. 1 in operative relation to the saws; such mechanism consists essentially of a pair of reciprocating file carrying rods and guides therefor together with means for actuating said rods and means for adjusting the same so as to change the angle or inclination of the file carrying rods to give the files the proper pitch with respect to the saw teeth and also means tending to hold the file carriers apart, in the desired position. for sharpening the saws; the latter means serving to hold the files in yielding engagement laterally with the saw teeth. To expedite the sharpening of a full set of gin saws several sharpening devices may be used simultaneously, the same being moved laterally from time to time as the sharpening of the saws operated upon is completed, in order to bring such devices into position to. act upon the saws in succession until all of the saws upon the shaft C have been sharpened, but inasmuch as one of said devices is an exact duplicate of another, a description of one only will suffice for all.

' end'of the frame is supported; the ends of said yokes being bolted to vertical flanges b on the uprights b of a rear frame portion B The lower ends of the legs F are preferably threaded to engage threaded apertures in the flanges b and have lock nuts 7 thereon to lock them in the desired position for supporting the front end of the file supporting frame. Said front end portions of the bars B are each provided with a series of apertures to receive the threaded ends of transverse rods or bars which connect the front ends of the side bars B and between which are fitted the supporting and guiding frames G of the file-carrying rods H; one of said guide frames G being arranged between an upper bar 6 and an intermediate transverse bar b and the other between a lower transverse bar I) and said intermediate bar. The bars 6 and Z2 are preferably flattened on the upper sides thereof or made square or oblong in cross-section and have threaded ends with nuts screwed thereon on opposite sides of the end portions of the frame, as shown, while thebar is preferably L-shaped in 'cross' section and has apertured end flanges or cars to receive fastening bolts with nuts thereon, whereby all of the parts are firmly secured together, and flat surfaces are provided on which the guide frames G rest and may slide laterally in the spaces between said bars, whereby they are confined so as to permit lateral movement only. The rear frame portion B as shown, is a metal piece or casting having flanged upright end portions or standards 12 of L-shaped form in cross-section, to the flanges of which the ends of the yokes of the side bars B are secured; said standards 5 being connected by transverse top and bottom frame bars of similar form; the latter being connected by intermediate upright bars which support the bearings for the pulley E over which the driving belt D is passed for imparting a reciprocatory movement to the file-carrying rods.

Brackets I, of the form best shown in Fig. 8, are secured to the side bars B of the file supporting frame by means of fastening bolts 27 which pass through holes 6 in said side bars and through oblong slots 2' in said brackets, whereby the latter may be adjusted vertically to raise or lower the rear ends of the file-rod supporting and guiding frames G and consequently lower or raise the front ends thereof so as to change the angle of inclination of the files. Each of the brackets I has a lateral flange dither-eon at one end and a boss or projection i at the other end thereof which overlapthe side bars of the frame, and the flange i has an interiorly threaded aperture therethrough to receive a threaded bolt or screw the lower end of which may rest upon or engage the under-side of one of the side bars of the frame to prevent vertical movement or displacement of the bracket after the proper or required adjustment has been made. The bosses or projections 21 are each provided with an opening therethrongh in which is slidably fitted a rod K the free end of which is preferably flattened to provide a support for the rear end of one of the file-rod supporting and guiding frames to which it is pi votally secured by means of a bolt passing through registering apertures in said flattened portion and the rear end of said'filc-rod guide or support. The rod K is adjustably secured within the opening through the boss 17 by means of a set screw 2', and by adjusting said rods K the rear ends of the file-rod guiding and supporting frames may be spread apart or brought nearer together as desired to change the angle or inclination of the files in a lateral or sidewise direction. The brackets I are secured to the frame bars in reversed positions, so as to support one file-rod guide above the plane of the other, and a series of holes 5 may be formed in the side bars B to receive the bolts which secure the means brackets thereto, in order that they" may be adjusted longitudinally of the frame to adapt the files carried by the reciprocating rods H to be projected a greater or less distance beyond the front end of the frame which supports the file actuating mechanism. Cross-heads H slidably fitted between the upper and lower frame plates 9 and g of the file-rod guides G, have openings therethrough for the passage of the filecarrying'rods H, which are secured therein with provision for rotative adjustment by set screws 72. To permit necessary play or movement of the pitman rods E at the point of connection with the cross-heads H and the cranks or crank-wheels e, on the shaft which carries the dr ing pulley E, an ordinary knuckle-joint or ball-andsocket connection is made with both the cross-head and crank-wheel at opposite ends of the pitman rod, though any suitable connection may be used which will permit suflicient play.

The file-carrying rods may each be provided with a file and fender on the forward end thereof of substantially the same con struction and arranged to operate in the same manner as described and shown in my patent, above mentioned, and no further description thereof herein is deemed necessary. The file carriers are drawn toward opposite sides of the frame with provision for yielding laterally to bring them together by means of springs L each having one end secured to the forward end of the carrier frame and the other end secured to a ratchet-plate L of l. -shaped form, having its long arm pivoted to the frame of the file actuating mechanism and its short arm provided with ratchet teeth engaging a dog or pawl. L pivotally supported adjacent thereto on said frame. By adjusting said ratchet plates .the tension of the springs may be varied and also the distance between the file carrying rods as desired in practical use.

In order that the file-actuating mechanism may be conveniently moved from place to place or along the supports therefor on the main supporting frame A, and at the same time to provide a shield or cover for the pulley and driving connections at the rear end of the frame which supports such mechanism, a concavo-convex sheet metal plate B having end-pieces of wood fitted in the concave end-portions thereof is attached to the frame-piece at said rear end, with its concavity facing the pulley, thus providing a rocker-like construction which permits the frame that supports the file-carrying rods and their guides and actuating mechanism to be easily tilted or turned up on its rear end and slid along its supporting bar.

To effect the timed rotation of the shaft C upon which are mounted the series of saws to be sharpened, 1 preferably employ an escapement device consisting'of a ratchet wheel N which isjournaled in suitable bearings on a vertically disposed swinging lever O, and ratchet levers N N which are pivotally secured at their lower ends to a common clampn adjustably secured on an oscillatory arm of a yoke member or lever P the forked end of which straddles a disk 27 mounted eccentrically upon the belt roller shaft D; said lever P being pivoted intermediate its ends to the above mentioned swinging lever O which is pivotally secured at its lower end to the floor or base of the machine frame. The 'atchet levers N and N may be drawn toward each other and kept in engagement with the ratchet wheel N by means of a connecting spring a and are guided in their vertical movements by a suitable guide-plate Q having each end bent over upon itself, as at I, so as to loosely embrace and guide one of said levers. On the same shaft with the ratchet wheel N is fixed a small gear wheel or pinion a which is adapted to mesh with a larger gear 11; upon the shaft C, and to be thrown into and out of engagement with said larger gear, at will, by means of a swinging lever B which is connected with the lever O by a link 1".

The advantages of my improved machine will readily appear to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. The frame construction which supports the fileactuating mechanism is simple and ineXpensive in manufacture yet strong and durable, and the several parts of the device may be easily assembled or taken apart, and any worn or broken part may be easily removed and replaced. The various adjustments permitted adapt the device for use in sharpen ing saws of different sizes, supported on the shaft C in operative relation to the file-actuating mechanism, and the saws may be slmrpened with accuracy and uniformity in operating upon saw teeth some of which are of harder or softer metal than others.

While I preferably employ the specific mechanisms substantially as shown and described for imparting a reciprocatory movement to the file-carrying rods and rotary movement to the shaft on which the saws are mounted, it willbe understood of course that other forms may be employed, such for example as shown in my aforesaid patent. In operation, the files are adapted to cross one another and engage a saw tooth on opposite sides thereof so as to sharpen the same as they are moved back and forth within the throat of the tooth, in the manner set forth in my aforesaid patent. The shaft D being caused to rotate, a reciprocatory movement is imparted to the file-carrying rods by means of the roll cZ,belt D and pulley E and intermediate connections, and by means of the eccentric connection with the yoke mc1nher or lever P of the escapement device an oscillatory movement is imparted to said yoke member, thereby imparting a reciprocatory movement to the ratchet levers, one

' to rotate step by step, thus bringing the teeth of the saws one at a time into position to be sharpened, and when all the teeth are sharpened the file supporting frame is moved laterally into position for sharpening another saw in the series, and so on until all of the saws on the saw-carrying shaft are sharpened. If desired to operate on any tooth for a longer period of time than on other teeth, thedriving gears may be disengaged by throwing the-lever R back, thus allowing the saw-carrying shaft to remain stationary the desired period of time, whereupon the gearing may be again engaged and the intermittent rotation of the saw-carrying shaft continued, thus automatically feeding and sharpening the teeth of the saws in succession. It will be understood of course that when the teeth of one saw have been sharpened, the file-actuating mechanism is lifted out of engagement therewith and moved along the supporting frame to the next saw in the series, and that when two or more of such mechanisms are being used simultaneously, for sharpening different saws, each of such mechanisms is arranged to operate successively on a different group of saws, and is moved along bodily from one saw to another at the completion of each operation.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a saw sharpening machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a pair of filecarrying rods each slidably supported in a laterally swinging frame and guide therefor; said guide-frames each pivotally supported at its rear end and carrying a slidable cross-head through which one of said rods passes, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said rods, and adjustable tensioning means tending to draw said guide-frames toward each other.

2. In a saw sharpening machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a pair of file-carrying rods each slidably supported in a laterally swinging frame and guide therefor; said guide-frames each carrying a slidable cross-head through which one of said rods passes, means for adjusting said r ds r tati e y insa d cross-head means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said rods, and means tending to yieldingly hold said guide-frames apart.

3. In a gin saw sharpening machine, a supporting frame comprising side bars formed with yokes at one end and vertically disposed front end portions having lateral flanges thereon; said flanges having apertures therein, and vertically ustable rods fitted in said apertures to provide legs for supporting the front end of the frame at different elevations.

In a gin saw sharpening machine, a supporting frame comprising side bars formed with yokes at one end and vertically disposed front end portions having lateral flanges thereon; said flanges having apertures therein and vertically adjustable rods fitted in said apertures to provide legs for supporting the front end of the frame at different elevations; the rear forked ends of said side bars being secured to a frame portion having a shaft journaled therein; said shaft carrying a pulley and crankwheels, and laterally movable file carriers mounted in said frame, one slightly above the other, each connected by a pitman rod with one of said crank-wheels for imparting a reciprocatory movement thereto.

5. In combination with a supporting frame, a pair of file-carrying rods each mounted in a laterally swinging f ame and guide therefor; said guide frames each carrying a slidable cross-head. through which one of said rods passes, and means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said rods, said means comprising a shaft journaled in said supporting frame and having a pulley and crank-wheels fixed thereon, and pitman-rods connecting said crossheads and crank-wheels, the connections between the ends of said pitman rods and cranks and cross-heads being formed by knuckle or ball-and-socket joints.

6. In combination with a supporting frame, a pair of file-carrying rods each slidably supported in a laterally swinging frame and guide therefor; said guide-frames each carrying a slidable cross-head through which one of said rods passes, means for rotatively adjusting and securing said rods in said cross-heads, a shaft journaled in said supporting frame carrying a pulley, and crank-wheels, and a pitman rod connecting each of said cross-heads with one of said crank-wheels, the connections being formed by knuckle or ball-and-socket joints.

7. In a gin saw sharpener, a pair of laterally swinging file-carrier frames projecting forwardly of the main supporting frame one above the plane of the other and each having its rear end pivoted to a laterally adjustable support carried by a bracket fixed on said main frame; said brackets being arranged in reversed positions and each.

adjustable both vertically and longitudinally of the main frame, cross-heads movable longitudinally of said. file-carrier frames, file-carrying rods secured to said cross-heads, and means for imparting a reciprocating movement to said cross-heads.

8. In a saw sharpening device, a pair of laterally swinging file-rod carrying frames fitted between spaced bars at the front end of a main supporting frame, one above the plane of the other, and means tending to hold said file-rod carrying frames yieldingly apart; said means comprising l..- shaped plates each having its long arm pivoted to saidv supporting frame and provided with ratchet teeth on the short arm thereof, a dog engaging each ratchet, and a spring connecting each plate with one of said laterally swinging file-rod carrying frames.

9. In combination with a supporting frame having spaced transverse bars'at the front thereof, a pair of file-carrying rods mounted in laterally swinging frames each having its rear end pivotally supported on a bracket attached to the main supporting frame; each of said brackets consisting of a vertically disposed portion having an ob-.

long slot therein to receive a bolt for attaching it to a side bar of the main frame, a laterally projecting flange at one end and a laterally projecting boss at the other end thereof overlapping the frame bar, an adjusting device screwed into an aperture in said flange, and a rod adjustably fitted in an opening through said boss and having the rear end of one of said swinging frames pivotally secured thereto.

10. In a gin saw sharpening machine, a supporting frame having longitudinal side bars, brackets attached to said bars in reversed positions, each bracket having a laterally projecting flange at one end and a laterally projecting boss at the other end thereof, the intermediate portion of the bracket having an oblong slot therein to receive a bolt by which it is secured to the side bar of the frame, an adjusting screw fitted in a threadied aperture in said flange, a rod adjustably fitted in an opening through each of said bosses, a pair of file carriers mounted in frames each having its rear end pivoted to one of the rods in said bosses, and means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said file-carriers.

11. In a saw sharpener, the combination with a main supporting frame, of vertically and longitudinally adjustable brackets secured to the side bars of said frame each having a laterally projecting flange and a set screw secured therein engaging the frame bar, one bracket being secured in a reverse position to the other, each of said brackets also having a boss, and a file-carrier support adjustably fitted in an opening through said boss, a pair of file-carrying rods, and

means for imparting a reciprocating movement thereto; each of said rods being slidably fitted in'a guide frame and support therefor having its rear end pivoted to one of said laterally adjustable supports.

12. The combination in a gin saw sharpening machine, of a supporting frame com prising longitudinal side bars each having a yoke or forked rear end and vertically disposed front end portions each having a laterally projecting apertured flange thereon and legs adjustably fitted in said apertures, a rear frame-piece connecting said yokes, a shaft journaled in said frarne-piece and carrying a pulley and crank-wheels, brackets secured to the side bars of said frame in reversed positions, a pair of filerod guides each having its rear end pivoted to a support carried by one of said brackets; said guides projecting beyond the front end of said supporting frame, means for yieldingly drawing said guides toward opposite sides of said frame, filecarrying rods mounted in said guides, and pitman rods connecting said file-carrying rods with said crankwheels.

13. 'In a gin saw sharpening machine, the combination with a supporting frame, of a pair of laterally swinging file-rod guides, a

pair of brackets secured to the side bars of said frame, one extending upwardly and the other downwardly and each provided with a laterally projecting boss having an opening therethrough, and a laterally adjustable rod fitted in each of said openings, each of said rods having its free end pivoted to the rear end of one of said file-rod guides.

14. In a gin saw sharpening machine, a file-rod guide and support comprising paral lel bars having a cross-head slidably fitted therebetween, a file-carrying rod secured in said cross-head and adjustable rotatively therein, and means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said cross-head.

15. In a gin saw sharpening machine, the combination with a main supporting frame, of a pair of file-carrying rods and supporting and guiding frames therefor projecting beyond the front end of said supporting frame, vertically adjustable brackets secured to the side bars of said supporting frame, one extending upwardly and the other downwardly therefrom, each bracket having an apertured boss thereon and a rod adjustably fitted in said aperture and having its free end pivoted to the rear end of one of said file-rod supporting and guiding frames, and means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said file-carrying rods.

16. In a gin saw filing machine, a feeding device comprising a shaft on which a series of sawsare mounted, and means for imparting an intermittent rotary movement to said shaft, said means including an escapement Mill device wheel revolubly mounted on a movable support and geared to said shaft, ratchet-levers engaging said ratchet-wheel, and means operatively connected with the main driving shaft for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said ratchet-levers, together with means for moving said support so as to disengage the gearing between said ratchet-wheel and saw-carrying shaft.

17 L In a gin saw filing machine, a feeding device comprising a shaft with saws mounted thereon, and an escapement device for imparting an intermittent rotary movement to said shaft; said escapement device eomprising a ratchet wheel carrying a pinion meshing with a gear on said shaft, pivotally supported ratchet levers held in springpressed engagement with said ratchet wheel; said levers being adapted'to impart an intermittent rotary movement to said ratchet Wheel, a rocking lever on which said ratchet levers are pivotally supported; said rocking lever having a forked end embracing an eccentric on a driving shaft, a swinging lever to which said forked lever is pivoted having said ratchet wheel journaled thereon, and means for throwing said pinion into and out of engagement with the gear on said saw carrying shaft.

18. In a gin saw sharpener, a frame having side bars, spaced cross-bars connecting the front end of said side bars and adapted to support therebetween laterally-swinging guides for the file carrying rods; said side bars having forked rear ends, a cross-piece secured to said forked ends and having uprights or standards thereon shaft bearings for the driving mechanism secured to said uprights, and a concavo-convex shield or cover for said driving mechanism secured to said cross-piece; said shield being adapted to permit said frame to be tilted or turned up on its rear end and supported in rockerlike fashion thereon.

Inv testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN RICE.

Witnesses:

IRBY C. HALL, JOHN APPLETON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

